Crist uninsured plan more costly than promised

For many of the state’s nearly 4 million uninsured, Gov. Charlie Crist’s Cover Florida health plans will cost much more than the $150 he promised last spring.

When he was selling the proposal to the legislature last spring, he billed it as a way to offer the nearly 4 million uninsured Floridians a robust set of health benefits including hospitalization for $150 a month or less.

But reality is setting in as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, one of two insurers poised to start selling Cover Florida plans statewide next month, has released details of its new offering.

Under the catastrophic Cover Florida plan which includes hospitalization, the Blue Cross premium averages about $255 a month for a female age 55 and $280 a month for a 55-year-old male. For a 40-year-old male, the average premium is $150. A 40-year-old female would pay $162 a month.

Even if the uninsured can afford the premium, they’ll face another challenge that Crist failed to mention last spring: A $3,000 annual deductible.

The Cover Florida plans will also offer a non-catastrophic type plan that does not include hospitalization coverage and will typically cost much less than $75 a month for coverage. But public health experts question whether the uninsured will buy a policy that lacks coverage for costly hospital stays.

The Cover Florida plans will be guarantee issue which means anyone can get a plan as long as they can prove they’ve been uninsured the prior six months. They can’t be excluded for a pre-existing condition, though the insurer could choose to not cover their pre-existing condition for up to a year.

In a press release today, Crist touted his program as a panacea for the uninsured.

“Many families and small business owners have worried about the possibility of costly medical bills, waiting for years for health insurance they can afford to buy,” Crist said. “In less than a month, Cover Florida will be available, and their waiting will be over. Affordable access to health care will be a reality for Florida’s hard-working families and businesses.”